At the end of your car leasing contract, your vehicle will be inspected.

Normal usage can inevitably result in a few scratches and bumps and finance companies are aware of this and will allow for a certain amount of imperfection. This allowance is called ‘fair wear and tear’ and outlines the minimum standard your vehicle should be returned in.

The BVLRA (the trade body for the leasing sector in the UK) create the industry standard, so regardless of which finance company your lease is with the BVLRA guidelines will always apply to you.

There are two guideline versions relevant to our customers - for commerical vehicles see: van leasing fair wear and tear.

It's really important for all leasing cutomers to understand what's covered under the term ‘fair wear and tear’:

General Advice

It is advisable to perform a thorough check on your car at least one month before the end of your leasing contract. This will give you time to recognise and rectify any damage that falls outside of the fair wear and tear guidelines prior to your vehicle being collected.

You should thoroughly clean the interior and exterior prior to inspecting your vehicle. Inspect your clean (and dry) car in natural daylight to have the best chance of spotting any damage that may need to be repaired.

Leave all documents relating to the vehicle in it! Make sure your service book has been date stamped by an authorised repairer.

Where relevant we recommend deleting any personal information from the satellite navigation system (such as regularly visited destinations). Remove all your personal belongings - check under the seats and in all the storage areas, you will be amazed how easily pairs of sunglasses or an old sock can hide for years in a vehicle!

Your vehicle must be of current MOT standard – so if the clutch is slipping or the brake disks are worn you will definitely be charged! This also means the tread on your tyres must be at least the minimum UK standard which is a tread depth of 1.6mm.

What you should return

The golden rule here is – if it was in the car on delivery then send it back on collection! This includes but may not be limited to:

Keys - include the spare and both must be functional so replace flat batteries
The owner’s manual
Service history record
Any supplied radio code cards
All emergency equipment (e.g. warning triangle)

Spare wheel and/or the tyre mobility/inflation set
Valid MOT (if this applies to your vehicle)
Any optional equipment ordered that is not fixed (e.g. tow bars, roof rails etc.)

Bodywork

Accepted Wear and Tear

Small chips, if there is no correction present
Any scratches up to 25mm, as long as there is no primer or bare metal showing
Dents up to 10mm, as long as there are no more than 2 per panel and the paint surface is not broken
Small areas of chipping on door edges

Unacceptable Wear and Tear

Any damage resulting from a collision or impact
Areas of chipping sufficiently large that the panel must be re-painted
Any stickers or residue from the removal of stickers

Tyres and wheels

Accepted Wear and Tear

Surface deterioration on alloy wheels
Scuffs of up to 25mm on alloys
Tyres with 1.6mm tread depth or more

Unacceptable Wear and Tear

Any damage to the side wall of tyres
Damage to wheels/alloys caused by kerbing
Any holes or cracks in wheel trims
Tyres with a tread of less than 1.6mm depth

Windows, lights and external mirrors

Accepted Wear and Tear

Any light scratches on the windscreen or passenger windows that do not interfere with the drivers line of sight
Surface damage to light casings

Unacceptable Wear and Tear

Windscreen chips
Damaged or missing door mirrors
Any holes in light casings that could allow water through, all lights must be working

Interior

Accepted Wear and Tear

Any stains that will be successfully removed by general cleaning
Seats that show deterioration due to normal usage
Discolouration due to day to day usage
Any added phone fixings can be left so long as they are properly fitted

Unacceptable Wear and Tear

Any unpleasant odour or soiling that is unlikely to be removed by general cleaning
Any abrasion, cut, tear or deformation of interior materials (e.g. seats, carpets and floor mats)
Any holes, spaces or gaps left from the removal of equipment
Any missing seats or mirrors

This guide provides a snapshot of the BVRLA Fair Wear and Tear Guide which was accurate at the time of publication. For up to date details please call us on 01273 433 480 or email info@rivervaleleasing.co.uk.

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